Saddle Mountain II


February 19, 2018
 
Mountain height:  2433 m
Elevation gain:     686 m

Ascent time:        2:25
Descent time:     1:20
 
Snowshoeing with Mark.
 
Mark wisely chose to turn Sunday into his Family Day so that we could make it out to the mountains on the real Family Day (Monday), with very promising weather conditions.
 
Upon reaching the Highway 40 turnoff we decided to continue heading west on Highway 1 and pick an objective in the Lake Louise area. Watching the outside temperature gauge in my car made the drive a wee bit more interesting: -19 leaving Calgary, -36 approaching Castle Junction, and finally warming up to a balmy -35 degrees Celsius upon reaching the Lake Louise parking lot. By then we had decided that a short trip would be wise and Saddle Mountain fit the bill perfectly. My first ascent, a couple of years and a couple months previous, had been “almost spectacular” and with the clearer skies this ascent was almost guaranteed to be just “spectacular”!
 
Thankfully the extreme cold was not an issue for most of the ascent. We arrived at Saddleback Pass to be rewarded with stunning views of Haddo Peak and Sheol Mountain. SPECTACULAR it was!
 
The temperature did become an issue as we gained the Saddle Mountain ridge and were greeted by a gentle north wind. That gentle wind rendered the remainder of the ascent perhaps the coldest we had ever experienced. I knew how severe the temperature was when my feet went numb, even wearing my new Columbia Bugaboot Titanium boots, rated to -43 degrees Celsius. Those boots had successfully kept my feet toasty warm on several other viciously cold days, earlier in the season (Sanson Peak, Barrier Lake Lookout). Nevertheless, the views were absolutely magnificent and frozen fingers and feet were a small price to pay for those views. After taking a few photos and tolerating the cold for as long as possible we made a hasty retreat down the mountain.Checking out the amazing ice sculptures around the Chateau was a fitting end to the day.   
 
Absolutely spectacular – there’s nothing more to say!


The first open where avalanches sometimes roar down the mountain side



Looking over to the Lake Louise Ski hill



Saddle Mountain appears ahead. The summit is the lower-looking point in the centre



A bluer than blue sky over Mount Fairview



Now the true summit looks higher (as it is!)



The needle-less larches around Saddleback Pass



Finally back in the Sun and enjoying the beautiful winter scenery



Mark clears the shadow of Saddle Mountain



Last few steps to the pass



The prominent west outlier of Mount Fairview



A view of Sheol Mountain (left) and Haddo Peak, unobstructed by vile humans!



Except this one - he's pretty cool!



Jury is still out on this guy!



Mark and the easy route up Saddle Mountain (photo taken on descent)



On the wide ridge and trying to not turn into the wind



Mark follows



Almost at the summit



Heading over to the equally higher summit , a short distance away





Speaking of spectacular, "Hello Mount Temple!"



Most of the amazing summit view



...with Mount Fairview at the right





Good that someone can manage to smile when the wind chill is well below -40 degrees



Back at the summit cairn



A last look



Victoria North (left) and Collier Peak



Back at the pass



Easy descent










Mount St. Bride - one of the more difficult objectives in the Canadian Rockies



The sky is still insanely blue!



Mount Niblock (far left) and Mount St. Piran (big snowy one next to it)
 


Mark celebrates an awesome ascent



Mark watching some hockey on the lake









One of many amazing ice sculptures






The cliche photo of Lake Louise and its outlet

The End
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